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Coq au Vin Blanc
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This coq au vin blanc recipe is a French chicken stew made with white wine, cream, and vegetables — a lighter twist on the classic coq au vin, traditionally prepared with red wine. The name translates to “cock with wine,” and while the original dish was made with rooster, chicken has long since become the go-to protein.
Where classic coq au vin is braised with red wine, bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions (similar to boeuf bourguignon), this version uses white wine instead, with the addition of cream for richness. This variation, popular in the Alsace region of France, feels both hearty and elegant, making it perfect for entertaining or weekend comfort food. This is one of my most requested dishes when cooking for friends and family! The chicken is seared until golden, then simmered in a silky white wine sauce that begs to be mopped up with crusty bread. For a more filling meal, serve it over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles.
If you love recipes with tender chicken and rich, savory sauces, try my roast chicken legs with braised kale and white beans or my chicken florentine next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Restaurant-quality flavor — The combination of golden chicken skin, smoky bacon, and a velvety white wine sauce tastes like something from a French bistro.
- Surprisingly approachable — Although it looks fancy, everything cooks in one pan and the steps are straightforward.
- Perfect for entertaining — It reheats beautifully, serves beautifully, and pairs well with a variety of sides—from mashed potatoes to buttered noodles to a simple green salad.
Key Ingredients in Coq au Vin Blanc
- Chicken Thighs – I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in this chicken with white wine based recipe. Chicken thighs are not only a cheaper cut, they stay much more tender than chicken breasts when cooked. The skin adds a lot of flavor to the sauce and looks much more impressive when served at dinner parties. I recommend patting the thighs dry with a paper towel before searing them so they get extra crispy.
- Bacon – Cutting the bacon into small strips allows for quick cooking. Be sure to throughly crisp the bacon in the pan before it’s set aside. The rendered bacon fat is used as a flavorful and rich base for the sauce.
- Onions – Cooking the onions are in the bacon fat and rendered chicken fat add great flavor. I use yellow onions which become sweet when cooked in the fat. Shallots can also be used in their place if needed.
- Garlic – I always use fresh cloves of garlic, the pre-minced jars of garlic don’t taste the same. The garlic cloves are chopped and sautéed with the mushrooms.
- Mushrooms – I prefer to slice the mushrooms just before cooking rather than buying pre-sliced mushrooms. Slicing them at home means you can control how thin and evenly they’re sliced. Baby bella or cremini mushrooms have an earthy flavor that works well in this dish. Substitute with mild-flavored white mushrooms if needed.
- White Wine – I recommend using a dry white wine for coq au vin blanc since they won’t overpower the dish by making it too sweet. While I will use just about any white wine in a pinch I prefer cooking with Sauvignon blanc. A mentor of mine always reminded me to never cook with a wine I wouldn’t drink! In a pinch you can substitute for chicken broth though I prefer the flavor of the wine in this dish.
- Heavy Cream – The cream adds a richness to the recipe though it can be omitted for a dairy free alternative. I’d recommend using the heavy cream rather than swapping for something else like half and half.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pro Tip
Avoid overcrowding the pan when cooking the chicken and mushrooms—giving them space ensures they brown properly instead of steaming. If necessary, cook the chicken and mushrooms in batches for the best flavor and texture.
Swaps and Substitutions
- Chicken thighs: You can use drumsticks or a broken-down whole chicken. Adjust cooking time as needed.
- White wine: Substitute chicken broth in a pinch (though the flavor will be less bright).
- Mushrooms: Swap baby bella for white button or chanterelles for a more earthy, gourmet flavor.
- Heavy cream: Crème fraîche or half-and-half also work—just expect a slightly lighter sauce.
- Onion: Use shallots for a sweeter, more delicate flavor.
How to make Coq au Vin Blanc (Step-by-Step)
Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the chicken to the pan, skin side down. Brown the chicken thighs until the skin is crisp and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue to cook until browned, about an additional 4 minutes. Remove the browned chicken to a plate and set aside.
Return the pan to medium heat and add the bacon. Cook over medium heat until the bacon fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the bacon to a bowl, draining all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan.
Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes then remove to the bowl with the bacon.
Return the pan to medium heat, add the mushrooms to the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and add the butter and garlic, cooking until the garlic is fragrant, about an additional 2 minutes.
Return the bacon and onions to the pan and stir to combine. Add the wine and bay leaf then nestle the chicken back into the pan. Lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
Add the cream and stir to combine. Remove the pan from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the parsley. Divide the chicken thighs into shallow bowls with plenty of sauce ladled over the top. Serve with bread on the side for dipping in the extra sauce.
How to Serve Coq au Vin Blanc
- Serve in shallow bowls with lots of the white wine sauce spooned over top.
- Add toasted or warm crusty French bread on the side for dipping.
- Pair with mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or roasted potatoes.
- Add something green like steamed green beans, roasted asparagus, or a simple green salad.
- For entertaining, serve with a tableside Caesar salad or French onion soup bites.
How to Serve Coq au Vin Blanc
- Store leftovers in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
- For best texture, store chicken and sauce separately (the skin stays crisper).
- Reheat gently on the stovetop: warm the sauce first, then add the chicken.
- Add the cream just before serving if prepping ahead to prevent separation.
- Microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Coq au Vin Blanc is a French chicken stew braised in white wine, cream, and aromatics. It’s a lighter twist on the traditional coq au vin, which uses red wine.
I recommend using a dry white wine for coq au vin blanc since they won’t overpower the dish by making it too sweet. While I will use just about any white wine in a pinch I prefer cooking with Sauvignon blanc. A mentor of mine always reminded me to never cook with a wine I wouldn’t drink!
Yes! Coq au Vin Blanc is a great make-ahead recipe since the flavors deepen as it rests. Store the chicken and sauce separately, and wait to add the cream until reheating to keep it from splitting.
This dish pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or crusty French bread for soaking up the sauce. A simple green salad or roasted vegetables also make great sides.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop for best results.
It’s not recommended—cream sauces tend to separate after freezing. Refrigeration is best.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this coq au vin blanc recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
Thanks for cooking with me! If you made this recipe, leave a 🌟 rating and share your thoughts or tips below. I’d love to hear from you!
Coq au Vin Blanc
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Ingredients:
- 4 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs, about 1 ½ pounds
- Kosher salt, as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 5 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into ½” dice
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup sliced baby bella (crimini) mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups dry white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 loaf of French bread, sliced into ½” thick slices, toasted, for serving
Instructions:
- Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the chicken to the pan, skin side down. Brown the chicken thighs until the skin is crisp and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue to cook until browned, about an additional 4 minutes. Remove the browned chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Return the pan to medium heat and add the bacon. Cook over medium heat until the bacon fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the bacon to a bowl, draining all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan.
- Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes then remove to the bowl with the bacon.
- Return the pan to medium heat, add the mushrooms to the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and add the butter and garlic, cooking until the garlic is fragrant, about an additional 2 minutes.
- Return the bacon and onions to the pan and stir to combine. Add the wine and bay leaf then nestle the chicken back into the pan. Lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
- Add the cream and stir to combine. Remove the pan from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the parsley. Divide the chicken thighs into shallow bowls with plenty of sauce ladled over the top. Serve with bread on the side for dipping in the extra sauce.
Notes:
Nutrition:
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Recipe originally posted 1/16/16 and updated 12/2/25.
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Kylie, I doubled this recipe so I could enjoy some leftovers the next day at work. As you do. Except when your son goes back for seconds and thirds. I can’t blame him. So good. Thank you!
So glad you liked it!! Definitely one of my favorites!! 🙂
What is a good replacement for dairy free? Thanks 🙏🏻
RB
I would recommend doubling the wine to make it a lighter, white wine sauce! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
A table spoon of corn starch and a couple tablespoons warm waters mixed up and then added, and stirred through, at the cream moment of the recipe will thicken it up without the dairy.
Oh, and this recipe is amazing!
To be sure, Kylie, I totally used the cream! But, corn starch does wonders for thickening, as you know.
So glad you found a dairy-free alternative and that you enjoyed the recipe!
I don’t eat bacon or pork, any suggestions?
I would recommend just omitting the bacon then – you might just need to add a little more oil for cooking the onions and mushrooms since you don’t have the bacon fat. Hope you enjoy!
I made this with breast of chicken, lessoned cream to 1/2 cup & increased wine a bit. I also added 1 more crushed garlic and fresh thyme. Killer!
So happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe Collette!!
Absolutely wonderful dish!!! I used rice instead of bread, and it worked perfectly!!!
Thank you, so glad to hear you enjoyed it! Rice sounds like the perfect side!
We made this back in Feb for Valentine’s Day. Absolutely phenomenal!
Made this last night and paired it with the crispy kale halloumi salad. It was excellent! I think next time I’ll try harder to find some chicken thighs with skin and bone in. I was only able to find boneless skinless chicken thighs but the recipe still came out really good. Will make again!
Made this last night and the sauce is absolutely delicious. I would probably use chicken breasts next time, only because my family is not a fan of thighs, but the entire meal was delicious.
So happy to hear it was a hit! Thank you for sharing Nicole!